Cole set for Chelsea exit

Tuesday 06 May 2014

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is edging closer to leaving the club this summer, with Real Madrid, Paris St. Germain and Los Angeles Galaxy all said to be interested, the London Evening Standard has reported.

The experienced England international was seen crying during the team’s lap of honour at Stamford Bridge after Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Norwich City, suggesting that he will leave at the end of a season in which he has lost his place to Cesar Azpilicueta, who has impressed despite being a natural right-back.

Having made only 14 Premier League starts this season - his fewest number of appearances in a campaign since joining in 2006 - Cole is looking certain to be heading elsewhere for next season, despite his representatives negotiating with Chelsea over his future.

Should he join Paris St. Germain or move to the Bernabeu, Cole is likely to be used as a second-choice left-back, like he has been at Chelsea, so a move to the MLS could be his best chances of first-team football.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho is still hoping to keep Cole, however, along with teammates John Terry and Frank Lampard, who are also out of contract at the end of June. He said: "They are with the club on their future. Now it's time to wait a little bit. The summer is a long summer for us.

"For the players involved in the World Cup it's a different story, but for us, as a club, it's a long time to be calm, to discuss and to analyse options and the market and possibilities."

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